


Primacy

by nagi_schwarz



Series: Number The Stars [26]
Category: Numb3rs, Stargate Atlantis, Thoughtcrimes (2003)
Genre: Crossover, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-11
Updated: 2016-07-11
Packaged: 2018-07-23 01:06:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 771
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7460628
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nagi_schwarz/pseuds/nagi_schwarz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written for the comment_fic prompt: "Thoughtcrimes/Stargate Atlantis/any, any, the Return re-write."</p><p>Amita is much better suited for distracting Bill Lee than Elizabeth is, but they work as a team. Elizabeth POV</p><p>(Some dialogue straight from the episode.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Primacy

Elizabeth followed Rodney down the corridor, listening as he explained, “The jumper is in its storage area under guard. We need for one of us to be added to the authorized personnel list, and there's only one guy who can do that.”  
  
“You?” Elizabeth asked.  
  
Rodney paused. “No. Why'd you think I was going to say me?”  
  
“I don't know. It seemed like you were leading up to it.” Elizabeth shrugged.  
  
“No, sadly, Dr. Lee's been the one heading up the jumper research project because they refuse to send it to Area 51 for me.” For a second, Rodney looked highly irritated, but he got himself back on track. “I think I should be able to able to add one of our key cards to the authorized personnel list, but I have to do that from his office.”  
  
That made sense. Elizabeth didn’t understand his hesitation. “So?”  
  
“Well, he's in his office.”  
  
Elizabeth raised her eyebrows questioningly, still confused by Rodney’s beating around the bush.  
  
“So you need to distract him.”  
  
Elizabeth blinked. “Me? How?”  
  
Rodney took a deep breath. “Well, here's what I'm thinking -”  
  
Amita came around the corner. “Stop right there, Rodney.”  
  
“But -”   
  
“Elizabeth’s an attractive woman,” Amita said, “and a fine diplomat, but she does not speak the language of the scientists.”  
  
“Just because you’re a mathematician doesn’t mean -” Rodney began.  
  
Amita held up a jewel CD case with an unlabeled disc inside it. “One word: Primacy.”  
  
“What?” Rodney looked confused.  
  
Amita rolled her eyes. “Elizabeth, just follow my lead, okay? Come on, Rodney.” Amita turned and strode for Bill’s office like she’d done it a thousand times before - and maybe she had, having been stationed at the SGC for a few years before being assigned to McMurdo.  
  
“Amita,” Bill said, eyes wide. “What brings you here?”  
  
Amita flashed him a wide grin and held out the CD case. “I brought you a gift.”  
  
Bill accepted it. “What is it?”  
  
“A beta of the newest Primacy expansion,” Amita said, and Bill lit up like it was Christmas.  
  
Elizabeth glanced at Rodney, who scooted back around to Bill’s computer, keeping an eye on Bill.  
  
“I tried forever to convince Elizabeth to free up some server space so we could run our own mini-domain of Primacy on Atlantis,” Amita said, “but I never succeeded. Tell her how much fun MMORPGs are.”  
  
Bill looked surprised. “Oh. Women who are interested in RPGs are so rare. Amita is a fine exception, but most players are -”  
  
“Men, I know,” Elizabeth said.  
  
“Elizabeth did confess that one time she played D&D in college and really liked it, but the dice were tedious,” Amita said. “The nice thing about the MMORPGs is that the computer does all the dice rolling for you.”  
  
Elizabeth mustered up a smile. “I enjoyed the creative interpersonal aspect of D&D.”  
  
“I was thinking we could start her out with something simple, maybe a human cleric, before we got too crazy. What do you think, Elizabeth?” Amita cast her a smile. “Would you want to be a healer?”  
  
“I don’t know,” Bill said. “Maybe something a bit more aggressive. Like a mage?”  
  
“I do enjoy magic.” Elizabeth turned her smile up a notch. Rodney was tapping away as quietly as possible at one of Bill’s computers. She turned her attention back to Bill, who was nodding earnestly at something Amita was saying about the improved combat system in the new expansion. Elizabeth noticed the way Bill’s gaze dipped below the level of Amita’s chin. Amita’s smile remained as friendly and enthusiastic as ever as she stepped closer, kept Bill focused on her and her rapid stream of words.  
  
Elizabeth would never, ever play poker against Amita.  
  
“Amita, Elizabeth, we have to go meet Sheppard for lunch,” Rodney said, and Bill started, suddenly remembering his presence.  
  
“Have fun,” Amita said. “Let me know when you’ve signed on and what your screen name is, and you can join my guild.” She fluttered her fingers in farewell, the gesture definitely flirtatious, and then practically pushed Elizabeth and Rodney out of the room. Rodney made a beeline for the next junction, where John was waiting.  
  
Amita’s expression was strained.  
  
“You all right?” Elizabeth asked.  
  
Amita shrugged. “Yeah. There’s a reason I generally stay out of people’s heads. There are some things about other people you never want to know.”  
  
“I’ll bet,” Elizabeth said softly, thinking of the way Bill had been looking at Amita.  
  
John handed out zats, and they hurried toward the place where the jumper was being stored, and Elizabeth knew they were one step closer to going home to Atlantis.


End file.
